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Werken van Madison C. Peters

Abraham Lincoln's Religion (2010) 5 exemplaren
After Death - What? (1908) 3 exemplaren
The Man Who Wins 2 exemplaren
Wit and Wisdom Of The Talmud (1923) 2 exemplaren
Mason as Makers of America (1917) 2 exemplaren
Haym Salomon; (2007) 2 exemplaren

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Compared to a book I reviewed a few months ago that consisted of selected quotes from the King James Version of the Bible, this book kicks ass. There's hardly a bad quote here. Oddly enough, I became really interested in the Talmud as a result of listening to Tod Goldberg's Gangsterland series, where a hitman becomes a rabbi! (The hitman mixes his quotes from the Talmud with quotes from Bruce Springsteen and most of his listeners don't know the difference.)
 
Gemarkeerd
datrappert | Oct 3, 2023 |
The hagiographical nature of this little book does not surprise, given its historical context. Peters published his biography—at 70 pages really a long tract than a book—in 1909, 45 years after Lincoln's death and the end of the Civil War. Patriotism may still have been riding high then, especially since the American Empire was growing by then, branching out as far as the Philippines. With World War 1 near on the horizon, however, there was a strong sentiment toward isolationism, particularly as emphasized by Wilson's reluctance to get involved in the war "over there." Ironically, I just watched the Alexander Knox-starring biopic of Wilson, so this happens to be on my mind.

This book *is* unmistakably, unavoidably, hagiographical. It presents the subject in glowing terms, taking almost for granted what it seeks to prove, that in spite of certain appearances (a disdain for long creeds and academic theology), Lincoln was the christianiest of Christians. As a Christian biblical scholar, I have to say that Peters' statement that Lincoln was born "as lowly as Jesus of Nazareth" set my blasphemy klaxons ablazing. Peters rather snottily dismisses contrary arguments—such as one I will read soon which argues forcefully against the proposition that Lincoln was a Christian. Nevertheless, I did lift out a few quotes from near the end of the volume that I think are good:

"The grandest profession of religion is a life all devoted to glorifying Christ, by living in obedience to His commands, and thus making the world a little less accursed and more worthy of God" (53).

"Christianity is unselfish service born of love; churchianity is often a form without a God, a wearing of religion as a cloak and not as an armor,—it never obeys a command unless it is too feeble to resist, and in many cases, is a perfidy and treason against the law of Christ" (57–58).

"It is quite possible to be a churchman higher than the highest steeple and yet not have the affections which cluster around the throne of glory and find their nutriment in the bosom of God" (68).

"He is not a Christian who, however orthodox in his beliefs, has not love and devotion, self-sacrifice and honesty, truthfulness and manliness" (69).

I reject the 1909 sexist language throughout these quotes, but I resonate with them, especially the last one. I do not like the dismissal of academic theology that bubbles up to the surface of Peters' work, although I recognize that I and people like me can get a bit lofty sometimes. Overall a quick, decent read, but not one that will convince anyone anymore.
… (meer)
 
Gemarkeerd
mmodine | Jun 24, 2023 |
Shelved in the Bill Gottlieb Heritage Collection.
 
Gemarkeerd
CCICL | Mar 27, 2017 |

Statistieken

Werken
28
Leden
135
Populariteit
#150,831
Waardering
3.9
Besprekingen
3
ISBNs
20

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